Any safety practice relating to the construction sector is referred to as construction safety. Construction safety strives to ensure that a construction site or the construction sector as a whole does not pose an immediate threat to the general public or construction personnel, as well as ensuring that the final product meets mandated safety requirements.
Most people regard safety as a pain, additional expenses, regulations, an obstruction to project schedule, paperwork, something that agencies and customers use as an excuse to harass contractors, and so on. Probably, some readers are undoubtedly now yawning, thinking, “Not safety again!” Allow your construction project to have a serious accident if you want to learn about additional expenses, wasted time, and more paperwork. Serious mishaps might put the project on hold for hours, if not days.
It attracts negative media attention and has a significant impact on people involved in the construction project, particularly the project manager and supervisor’s reputations and the contractor’s. But, should we even think about it? People’s lives are impacted by poor safety. It may potentially have an impact on your life. It has the potential to change your life.
Everybody on your construction site has the right to return home in the same physical condition they started their shift. Would you want to knock on someone’s door and inform them that their son, daughter, husband, or wife is seriously injured, if not dead, at a hospital? Hurt on your project!
While complying with safety and health standards may be the primary motivation for strengthening construction safety, there are several other advantages, such as reducing possible risks and incidents. This is critical since safety hazards and accidents can damage a firm’s reputation among field experts and regulatory bodies and cost the firm a lot of money.
Another advantage of putting construction safety first is that it helps to build trust among employees, safety managers, and corporate management. This enhanced trust leads to improved communication throughout the organization, reducing misunderstandings and conflicts. Employee performance and productivity can both benefit from construction safety. When employees are given proper training and protection, they are better equipped to accomplish their tasks successfully and safely.
How Do You Manage Site Safety?
One of the most critical roles of a construction project manager is to keep the worksite safe. Besides the ethical considerations of keeping workers safe, enormous financial expenses are involved with an unsafe worksite. As a manager, you have the opportunity to make a significant difference in this crucial area.
A construction project manager must provide good leadership. You must have your staff’s ear when overseeing a construction site. They must be aware of your responsibility and that you are working hard to keep them secure. Worker safety should be a top priority for any construction company, no matter how big or small. Managing a team that reflects this approach will benefit the company as a whole.
According to the OSHA report, management leadership entails the following responsibilities for firm owners, managers, and supervisors:
- Keep worker safety and health a top priority for your company.
- Dedicated to minimizing dangers, protecting workers, and actively enhancing worksite safety and health.
- To implement and sustain the safety and health program, allocate necessary resources.
- Show and convey their dedication to safety and health to coworkers and others.
- Set a good example through their conduct.
What Are the Expenses That Might Be Involved?
“Firms spend $170 billion a year on costs linked with work-related injuries – expenses that come directly out of company profits,” according to the US Department of Labor. Workplaces that implement safety and health management systems, on the other hand, can cut their injury and illness expenses by 20 to 40%.” Losses (or savings) like these could mean the difference between a prosperous company and one that has to shut down.
The costs are in the millions since many of these deaths and injuries occurred in the construction industry. According to the report, the “Fatal Four” — falls, being struck by an object, electrocution, and caught-in/between — were responsible for 63.7 % of construction-related casualties. The reduction of the Fatal Four would save an estimated 631 lives. Besides the direct expenses such as injuries or death, there are also indirect costs that can major impact the company. OSHA lists the following as possible indirect costs:
- Suspensions and investigations cost time.
- Training and other expenses incurred as a result of replacing injured workers
- Material, equipment, and property damage or loss
According to the report, these indirect costs are at least 2.7 times higher than the direct costs. For instance, the unnecessary pressure of an avoidable workplace injury frequently results in prolonged stress, inducing seemingly unrelated physical and mental health issues. These tense events frequently lead to high levels of pressure, which can seriously harm personal relationships and families — all of which have significant financial impacts on individuals, businesses, and governments.
Clearly, it’s not worth operating in an unsafe way, using shortcuts, or prioritizing productivity and schedule over safety. It depends on project managers and supervisors to ensure a safe working environment for their workforce, the client’s staff, and the public at large. Safety isn’t only about following rules; it’s also about setting expectations; it’s a commitment to work safely from senior leadership to project managers and supervisors.
When individuals understand why operating in a given way is risky, they are more likely to be safe. People who are aware of the repercussions of risky activities — not just the disciplinary consequences but also the life-changing impacts in the event of an accident, are more likely to be safe. High safety standards can be achieved with the support of well-trained and skilled personnel.
Good leadership is the foundation of good safety. Never turn a blind eye to substandard safety or allow it to go unaddressed. Good safety is the outcome of a collaborative effort, with everyone watching out for one another. Everyone on the worksite, including visitors and managers, must adhere to the strictest safety regulations. Good safety practices do not have to be expensive, but bad safety practices will cost you money.
